58 
it has quitted the island entirely. In the neighbourhood of Colombo it is chiefly located in large 
tracts of paddy-ground and about tire great swamp there and Negombo. It is now and then 
met with in the cinnamon-gardens.” 
Davison says (Str. Feathers, ii. p. 162) that “it occurs in the Nicobars, hut not in the 
Andaman group, where it is replaced by 21. quinticolor. In habits it differs much from both 
2f. viridis and 21. quinticolor ; it may be seen for an hour at a time, taking long sailing flights. 
I have seen ten or twelve of these birds hawking over the grassy hills in the interior of the island 
of Camorta. I was unable to ascertain whether they breed in the Nicobars or not. It is known 
to the Nicobarese by the name of Shale. I saw it at the Cocos, hut failed to procure a specimen.” 
Subsequently, however, to when the above notes were written, it has been recorded by Mr. 
Hume (Str. Feath. iv. p. 2b7) as having been obtained by Boepstorff at Aberdeen, S. Andamans, 
in November. It appears to he somewhat rare in Tenasserim, but common in Pegu and Bur mail. 
Mr. Oates says (Str. Feath. iii. p. 49) that it “ occurs in large flocks all over Upper Pegu, and is 
a constant resident. It is, however, very uncertain in its movements, and appears to he locally 
migratory. In the rains there are comparatively few, and these are seen singly in the paddy-fields 
perching on hushes. It breeds in all the large nullahs with steep banks, and I lately came across 
a large colony in the Irawaddy ; but I have hitherto failed to meet with the large colonies 
mentioned by J erdon. It occurs nearly to the summit of the Pegu Hills ; but I did not find it 
on the eastern slopes. It occurs again in the plains near Tonghoo.” To this Capt. Feilden adds 
that ‘ it breeds in v ast numbers on the banks of the Irawaddy ; the young leave the nest at the 
beginning of the rains.” 
Mr. Armstrong, who met with this species in the delta of the Irawaddy, writes (Str. Feathers, 
iv. p. 304) that “ though tolerably abundant in certain localities, it was by no means general in 
its distribution. I have only met with it in a tidal swamp a few miles from Elephant Point, and also 
along the course of Deserters’ Creek. In this latter locality it was met with in tolerable abundance, 
more especially where the margins were bordered with tall Sonneratia trees. Here numbers of 
the species might be seen making wide circles with a strong rapid flight at a great height up in 
the air and again returning to perch on the summits of these trees, where they would remain 
for a moment or two before starting on a fresh expedition. They kept, as a rule, to the highest 
trees, and were very wary and difficult to approach.” 
Capt. Bingham writes ( l . c.) as follows : — “ In March 1877, I found large parties of this 
Bee-eater breeding in the sandy hanks of the Salween at Shwaygoon. It is not uncommon, and 
breeds at Kaukarit, on the Houndraw. I observed a pair or two there as late as June the 29th.” 
Again (Str. Feath. ix. p. 152) he writes : “ This bird, being partially migratory, is often overlooked ; 
but it is common nearly all the year round at Kaukarit, on the Houndraw river, where it breeds 
in April and May in the sandy banks of the Kaukarit Choung. In the Thoungyeen valley 
I have procured it at Meeawuddy in June, at Laidawgyer in April, and on the Dawna Pass in 
November.” According to Mr. Oates (B. of Brit. Burmah, ii. p. 67) it is “found over the whole 
of British Burmah, being very abundant in Arrakan and Pegu and somewhat rare in Tenasserim. 
It appears to he partially migratory in Tenasserim ; hut in Pegu I have observed it during the 
greater portion of the year, and I think it -is resident.” It is, found in China and Cochin China, 
and Tiraut states (l. c.) that it is “ very common in Cochin China in all wooded localities.” 
Strickland records it from Canton. Messrs. David and Oustalet state that it visits Southern China 
in the summer season ; and Swinhoe procured it at Swatow, and says that it is supposed to breed 
in the Wenchang district, N.E. Hainan. 
